A little bit more than patriotism. A little bit lower than jingoism. ---
Nirendra Dev

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Did Anna achieve much? Do we really trust political class?

A visibly calm Anna Hazare though looked
exhausted after 12-day-long fast today hailed Parliament’s nod on key
elements of Jan Lokpal Bill as “people’s victory” and declared that poll reforms will be on top of his next agenda to fight corruption menace at its roots.
"I will not rest until all the changes that I
look to are achieved,” he said to a thunderous applause from thousands of his supporters waving tricolour.
But did he really achieve much. Given the nature of style of functioning and their unity of purpose for often selfish gains, political class can surprise everyone. Though to give the devil its due, as of now
Anna's agitation has achieved something.
BJP spokesman Prakash Javdekar rightly says that the agitation gas brought
out the non-political class into the political realm.
His party colleague Varun Gandhi said in Lok Sabha during the debate that
the movement has proved to the youths mainly that they can be "catalyst of change". These messages are vital although a few Congressman like Rashid Dalvi, someone who had initially alleged US conspiracy behind Anna movement, said he disapproved of Anna's methodology.
Congress spokesman Mr Abhishek Singhvi said, “I believe that both have won and no one has lost. The great thing about this event is that it a win win for all sections".
His party colleague Anil Shastri said Anna agitation never undermined
supremacy of parliament.
In fact, this very debate was uncalled for. Because Anna himself and
his team time and again demanded the parliament to enact a strong Lokpal law. Of course, their insistence on their draft as seen by many was only a pressure tactic.
27 AUG: Ending days of suspence and bringing an end to
hours of fierce negotiations
between Team Anna and a beleaguered government, the Lok Sabha today
adopted 'sense of the House' on three key
issues raised by Anna Hazare on the much talked about Lokpal Bill and
paved the way to end his 12-day long fast.
As the Finance Minister and the Leader of the House Mr Pranab
Mukherjee read out the last lines of a draft 'sense
of the house' there were thumping of desks, which are being
interpreted as unanimous or voice vote of the House.
The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who showed his rare statesmanship
at the fag end of the crisis by his offer for parliamentary debate, has
described the parliamentary nod as manifesation of people's will. "People's will is parliament's will," he said.
But the raging debate on whether 'the sense of the House (parliament)' was in any case a dilution to 'formal resolution' remains to be seen.
Experts, however, say the nod is not a command for the parliamentary standing committee.
Asked if this was truly a victory of Team Anna as several of its demands like passing the Bill in this session, inclusion of higher judiciary and so on have not been met, BJP's Javadekar says that this agitation was about the larger issue of having a strong and effective Lokpal.

So BSP floor leader Dara Singh Chauhan has a point when he remarks,
“It is for him (Anna) to answer what he achieved".
The aging Gandhian is however, seemingly being smarter as of now as he knows the neta class by now pretty well and says, “I have only deferred my fast, not given it up."
Back to the future!

About Me

Author of 'Rainbows and Misty Sky: Windows to North East India';
'HEART ALONE' (A collection of short stories), 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth' and other books, 'Ayodhya: Battle for Peace' (2011) ‘Godhra – A Journey To Mayhem’ (2004) and ‘The Talking Guns: North East India’ (2008).